BANGKOK — The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) targets LGBTQ travelers as spending surges 38% to over 73,000 baht per trip. The number of first-time visitors to Thailand has increased significantly by 19.90 percent.
Following the passage of the Marriage Equality Act, more and more LGBTQ travelers have been asking TAT if Thailand is ready to be a top LGBTQ destination. Siripakorn Cheawsamoot, the TAT’s deputy governor for Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas, shared that one of the most common questions from European travelers is whether Thailand has dedicated staff to cater to the LGBTQ community, as many visitors want to meet like-minded people.
In response, the TAT has assured that Thailand offers welcoming destinations for all travelers, including LGBTQ tourists, same-sex couples and honeymooners. The country’s hospitality industry is known for its inclusivity and high standards of service.
A survey of foreign tourists in the romantic tourism category which includes LGBTQ travelers found that spending per trip from January to December 2024 averaged 73,535 baht per person, up 37.72 percent from the same period in 2023. The average daily spend per traveler increased by 42.39 percent to 6,722 baht.
TAT’s findings show that romantic tourism travelers, including honeymooners and LGBTQ tourists, seek luxury and exclusivity. They prefer upscale hotels and premium travel experiences, resulting in higher spending than the average tourist.
In addition, LGBTQ travelers tend to spend more and travel more frequently than other groups, making them a highly influential segment in the tourism market. As a result, Thai tour operators have actively catered to their needs, further strengthening Thailand’s position as one of the top LGBTQ-friendly destinations.
“Romantic travelers consistently spend more than other groups. The main reason they choose Thailand, cited by 64.4 percent of respondents, an increase of 3.99 percent, is the variety of tourist attractions on offer. A further 48.44 percent cited the friendliness of Thai people (up 3.47 percent) and 47.32 percent the Thai cuisine (up 3.47 percent),” Siripakorn explained.
The LGBTQ tourism survey reveals several important findings about travel behavior. On average, LGBTQ travelers stay 10.94 nights in Thailand, with a slight decrease of 0.37 percent. The vast majority, 97.32 percent, prefer to stay in hotels or resorts, an increase of 7.01 percent. Each trip typically includes a visit to 2.2 provinces, an increase of 0.38 percent.
Notably, 68.97 percent of LGBTQ travelers are visiting Thailand for the first time, a significant increase of 19.90 percent. Meanwhile, 22.32 percent have visited the country 2-4 times, a decrease of 5.44 percent, and 8.71 percent have visited five times or more, a decrease of 14.46 percent.
The top 10 most popular provinces for romantic tourism in Thailand show that visitors’ travel preferences are changing. Bangkok remains the most visited destination with 62.5 percent, although this represents a drop of 6.28 percent. Phuket follows with 47.77 percent, a remarkable increase of 26.77 percent.
Krabi has also risen in popularity, reaching 28.57 percent, an increase of 28.57 percent. Surat Thani saw an increase of 5.03 percent at 17.63 percent, while Chiang Mai saw a 4.4 percent increase at 15.85 percent.
In contrast, Chonburi recorded a decline to 15.63 percent, a drop of 8.23 percent. Phang Nga gained traction at 9.38 percent, up 6.93 percent, while Chiang Rai recorded a gain of 3.65 percent at 6.7 percent. Prachuap Khiri Khan reached 3.57 percent, up 0.54 percent, and Ayutthaya rounded out the list with 2.46 percent, up 0.35 percent.
Siripakorn also pointed out that the World Travel Market (WTM), one of the largest tourism fairs in the world, reserves a space for the LGBTQ market every year. Global market research shows that LGBTQ travelers contribute over 200 billion dollars (6.64 trillion baht) to the tourism industry. The United States leads in LGBTQ travel spending with 63.1 billion dollars (1.9 trillion baht), followed by Brazil with 26.8 billion dollars (816 billion baht).
___________
